Due to today’s complex threats, there has been an increasing trend for Mass Notification Systems to provide clear, concise and intelligible voice messages that communicate how people should respond in an emergency, for example, whether to broadcast lock-down procedures or evacuation instructions or both. This has resulted in an increase in demand for speakers (voice communications) instead of using horns (tones only) to communicate vital and specific information in an emergency. 

Intelligibility is the degree to which we understand what is being said.  Basically, if a voice message cannot be understood by building occupants, then the MNS has failed and may have caused more harm than good. 

According to NEMA, designers have the greatest effect on speech intelligibility by their choice of equipment, the number, distribution and placement of loudspeakers and the power at which they are driven. 

At Eaton, we understand that intelligible voice messages are critical for life safety. That’s why we developed industry-leading intelligible solutions, including Eluxa high fidelity speakers for in-building mass notification.